Lakers’ Kobe Bryant referenced in latest Drake music video

Los Angeles Lakers great and basketball icon Kobe Bryant may be gone but his spirit is living on forever. In the latest music video by hip hop star Drake, he displayed Bryant’s legendary 8 and 24 jerseys as a shout out to the departed star.

In his music video for the song Toosie Slide, notice the sneaky Bryant reference by Drake.

This is just one among the many references to Bryant made and to be made by hip-hop stars. After all, Bryant’s impact did not just make itself felt on the hardcourt. Off the court, the Black Mamba has inspired countless people from his Lakers days.

So much so that when the world learned of his death of Jan. 26, everything stopped — not just the basketball world. Tears and tributes poured in from every corner of the globe to the Lakers and the Bryant family. Basketball diehards who were keen observers of Bryant’s rise to superstardom wrote out heartfelt messages. Even pedestrian basketball fans couldn’t help but feel sad during that fateful day.

Now, almost two months after Bryant’s passing, tributes continue to pour on for the Lakers icon. Drake is just one among the many people who constantly celebrate Bryant’s life. In every corner of the world, there’s that one fan who has put up his neat little shrine of Bryant. There’s always that guy in the office who shouts ‘Kobe’ whenever he knocks down a paper ball shot into the trash bin.

And of course, there are NBA players who literally grew up watching Bryant’s games with the Lakers — the titles, the scoring exhibitions, the game-winning shots, and most of all, the Mamba Mentality.

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